Best time to visit Nicaragua

The best time to visit Nicaragua is during the dry months of November to April – which also provide a welcome escape from the northern winter. But there’s nothing to stop you exploring in the quieter, rainier months, especially on the drier Pacific coast. Read our guide on when to go to Nicaragua to find the month that suits you best.

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Best time to visit Nicaragua

Nicaragua has a warm climate, so everyone is out on the street enjoying the breeze.

The best time to go to Nicaragua is during the dry season from November to April. That said, there’s rarely a bad time to visit Nicaragua; it’s glorious pretty much all year round. The wet season is May to October, but the Pacific side is drier than the Caribbean, and afternoon showers usually only last for an hour or two. The volcanic landscapes and nature reserves are astounding, but don’t overlook the festivals, with many people ready to share their fabulous food and music. Check out La Purisima festival in December, which has fireworks throughout the month and into the New Year.

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Nicaragua travel advice

January in Nicaragua

Blue, dry skies

Pleasantly warm temperatures

Cool, fresh highlands

It’s a bright start to the year, with blue skies and very little rain. Temperatures in Nicaragua in January are comfortably warm – in the mid-to-high 20°Cs, creeping over 30°C on the Pacific coast. The highlands feel cool and fresh, especially in the evenings when it’s worth packing light layers for enjoying the night air.

February in Nicaragua

Dry, sunny and warm

Cooler afternoons and highlands

Festivals

Nicaragua in February is dry and sunny, luxuriating in long, bright days of sunlight and steady, warm temperatures. The Pacific coast is hotter, with temperatures reaching highs of around 33°C in Pacific coast cities like Granada and Leon. Afternoons cool down a little – perfect for beach strolls and golden hour dinners. The heights of the Central Highlands are cooler and greener, with refreshingly cool mornings and evenings.

February is a great time for our family vacation to Nicaragua

March in Nicaragua

Hot and sunny dry season

Blue-sky volcano views

Cool breezes in the highlands

Hot sunshine sweeps across Nicaragua in March as the dry season approaches its peak. Temperatures average 33°C on the Pacific coast, with a humidity that makes it feel hotter. Inland, the scenery is dry and dusty, but the western strip of volcanoes is particularly striking against blue skies. For cooler climes, try the Central Highlands, where cool breezes ruffle the cloud forests and coffee plantations.

April in Nicaragua

Hot end to the dry season

Head to the (busy) coast to cool off – and surf

Cooler in the highlands

It’s still hot in Nicaragua in April, with highs of around 33°C. This is the end of the dry season, so expect dusty roads and sun-bleached countryside. Lots of people make a beeline to the coast to cool off and enjoy the Easter break – and the breakers that welcome the start of the surf season. Alternatively, head for the Central Highlands where evenings are cooler. The occasional shower hints at the approaching rainy season.

May in Nicaragua

Peaceful month

Rain freshens things up

Hot with showers

Dry landscapes welcome the beginning of the rains, which return the hilly rural regions to bright green landscapes. The Pacific coast hovers around 32°C, spritzed with short afternoon downpours and electric evening thunderstorms. Mornings remain sunny and warm. There are fewer tourists in Nicaragua in May, so expect quieter cities and volcano viewpoints.

June in Nicaragua

Peaceful, green wet season

Drier on the Pacific coast

Lots of sunshine followed by lots of rain

Nicaragua embraces the rainy season in June. Forests and hills are green, waterfalls are revived, the air is nice and fresh, and everything is crowd-free as tourists avoid the wetter weather. The mornings are reliably sunny, if humid. Just watch out for the afternoons; heavy tropical showers can come with a side of lightning. The Pacific is drier than the Caribbean in Nicaragua in June, so head that way for drier days.

There’s something to celebrate almost every day of the year in Nicaragua – and chances are, festivities will revolve around food.

July in Nicaragua

Sunshine and evening showers

Canicula: the ‘midsummer drought’

Good for hiking and city tours

The rainy season continues in Nicaragua in July, with green landscapes and showers that tend to arrive in the afternoon or evening. Look out for the unusual dry period called canícula that starts in mid-July – a month-long break that often welcomes hotter, sunnier weather, especially along the Pacific coast. Bright, calm mornings are great for city tours and volcano and rainforest hikes.

August in Nicaragua

Green landscapes

Lots of showers and high humidity

Drier on the Pacific coast

August sits right in the middle of the rainy season. When the canícula ends, Nicaragua is soaked with frequent showers and a high humidity that can make hot temperatures feel even hotter. However, all that rain is a boon for the scenery; fruit plantations flourish, hills and forests get greener, and rivers and waterfalls are in full rush. It’s rainier along the Caribbean coast in Nicaragua in August, so the Pacific is your best bet for a bit of dry weather. Surf season draws to a close.

August is a great time for our Nicaragua nature and culture tour

September in Nicaragua

Quiet month

Spectacular waterfalls

Tropical humidity and lots of rain

Pack your raincoat: heavy rain washes across Nicaragua in September, with some showers lasting all day… and beyond. Thunderstorms are at their most dramatic now, often clearing quickly for a gasp of cooler temperatures before the cycle starts up again. Waterfalls are spectacular around now, as are the forests, which are alive with wildlife. They’re certainly not alive with tourists, though, so if you like viewpoints all for yourself, September is the time to go.

October in Nicaragua

Last month of the rainy season

Wet and changeable weather

Falling temperatures but high humidity

October is the last full month of the rainy season – and it goes out with a bang. Showers and thunderstorms are frequent and can break at any time. If it’s in the afternoon, that’ll usually be in the form of a Thor-level thunderstorm. Temperatures start falling below 30°C in Nicaragua in October, but the sticky humidity makes it feel hotter. Hiking and biking in the glowingly green countryside can be pleasant, but expect mud and even the occasional flood.

November in Nicaragua

Great time to be in Nicaragua

End of the rainy season

Bright green vistas

At last! The rainy season tapers off in Nicaragua in November. Showers diminish and sunshine flourishes; everything feels bright and refreshed, with forests and waterfalls plumped by the wet season’s rains. Temperatures are more comfortable too – 26-29°C and a little less humid. It’s a great time to be in Nicaragua before the busiest part of the tourist season begins.

November is a great time for our Nicaragua highlights small group tour

December in Nicaragua

Popular month

Warm sunshine and clear skies

Christmas and New Year festivities

December is a great time to be in Nicaragua, thanks to warm sunshine on the coast and pleasantly cool temperatures in the Central Highlands. The whole world seems to know it, too; consider whether you’d enjoy a more peaceful vibe at the beginning of the month or the lively buzz of cities and the coast during the Christmas and New Year break. One thing’s for sure: Nicaragua in December is lively.

Nicaragua Weather Chart

MIN °C

MAX °C

RAIN (mm)

JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

MAY

153

JUN

291

JUL

152

AUG

162

SEP

268

OCT

293

NOV

DEC

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Best time to go to Nicaragua for festivals & events

Palo de Mayo (May)

It’s May Day! A distinctly Afro-Caribbean celebration likely brought to Nicaragua by English colonists. Over the years, it’s been transformed by Indigenous and enslaved West African people on the Caribbean coast, shaping it to be what it is today – a mix of deities like Shango, rum cake, and exuberant parades. Palo de Mayo also comes with its own genre of music and dance of the same name, often heard keeping the joyful processions dancing into the evening.

Emancipation Day & Crab Soup Festival (late August)

The Corn Islands commemorate the abolition of slavery with a food festival that celebrates the islands’ favorite cuisine: crab. Expect parades, sporting events and lots of variations of freshly made crab soup served in calabash wood bowls. Why crab? It was one of the main foods available to newly freed people. Just pack for the weather: late August is in the middle of the rainy season on this Caribbean coast.

Fiesta de San Jeronimo (October-December)

The Feast of Saint Jeronimo is a three-month extravaganza of Sunday processions and dances to a soundtrack of marimba and chicheros bands. Masaya is home to the biggest celebrations, with the figure of Tata Chombo processed for 14 hours through the city on 7 October and satirical parades on 30 October. Some devotees wear masks inspired by characters from Indigenous legends such as the La Cegua, a shapeshifting spirit with a horse’s skull for a head, and the hellhound-like El Cadejo.

La Purisima & La Griteria (late November-7 December)

“¿Quién causa tanta alegría?” “¡La Concepción de María!” Do you hear that refrain in the air? It has to be La Purisima, a festival only celebrated in Nicaragua. In late November, Catholics build altars to the Virgin Mary laden with fairy lights and flowers. It all culminates with La Griteria – the call-response shout – on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on 7 December. The biggest celebration is in Leon. Here, San Francisco Church lays claim to being the birthplace of La Purisima, with the final offering a burst of fireworks and drumming.

Our travelers also ask…

When is the best time of year to visit Nicaragua for surfing?

April to September is the best time for bigger, consistent waves for keen surfers. First-time surfers, on the other hand, might prefer the smaller breakers of the dry season, especially February for a combination of easy waves and emptier seas.

When is the best time to visit Granada, Nicaragua?

The best time to visit Granada is between December and March. That’s when to enjoy the long, sunny days of the beginning of the dry season before it gets too hot for exploring.

When is the best time to visit Nicaragua for the dry season months?

The dry season begins in November and eases off in April. The earlier months are cooler and a little wetter, with the season gradually getting hotter and drier until refreshing showers return in May.

When is the best time to visit San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua?

The November-April dry season is the best time to go to San Juan del Sur. Expect sunny, dry days with temperatures ranging between 24°C and 31°C. It’s also the busiest time to be in San Juan del Sur. Visit in the rainy season to enjoy quieter beaches. San Juan is one of the drier places to be at this time; really heavy rains are rare.

Best time to visit Nicaragua

Best time to visit Nicaragua